While the blues grew out of the American Delta, they are a musical idiom that translate well to a number of cultures and countries.

Berdon Kirksaether is a blues guitarist, vocalist, and song writer from Norway. During the 1990’s he was a member of CIA, which was one of the most successful blues bands in Norway. He has now reunited with two of his former band mates, Stein Tumert and Per Eriksen under the name Berdon Kirksaether & The Twang Bar Kings. There release is titled Latenighters Under A Full Moon.

Their music may not be as gritty as many blues purists might favor but its smooth and melodic quality, propelled by Kirksaether’s guitar play, explores the light side of the blues. They also veer from traditional blues by incorporating some Latin rhythms into their approach.

The album is an instrumental smorgasbord of tempos, textures and styles. “Conrad’s Bar Bounty” incorporates some swing elements into the sound. “Rendezvous” travels south of the American border for its foundation. Tracks such as “Go Cat Go,” “Cool Cats On The Move,” and “Jumping The Night Away” fuse rock elements with the blues.

Latenighters Under A Full Moon is more laid back and relaxing than it is energetic. Still, it explores the blues from a different perspective and no matter what the country or orientation, good blues is still good blues.

Big Star’s 1972 debut album, #1 Record, was one of the defining albums of its era. The problem was hardly anyone bought the album. Group co-founder Chris Bell became disenchanted with the lack of commercial success and left the band. Alex Chilton, along with bassist Andy Hummel and drummer Jody Stephens, forged ahead and despite the loss of Bell, managed to create an album almost as good. That album, 1974’s Radio City, has now been reissued.

Radio City was a little edgier lyrically, plus found Chilton incorporating some British pop elements into the mix. The harmonies remain intact but it is Chilton’s guitar play that makes a difference. Now the sole guitar player, he proved that he was an upper echelon musician. His prowess is particularly demonstrated on “O My Soul.”

Tracks such as “Mod Lang,” “What’s Goin Ahn,” and “She’s A Mover” contain some of the better lyrics of Chilton’s career and when you combine them with bouncy melodies, it adds up to a good foundation for the album.

Bassist Andy Hummel’s contributions on the band’s first two albums have often been over looked. He provides the vocal for his own composition “Way Out West.” He was also a key to the group’s harmonies, which is very apparent on “What’s Goin Ahn.”

As with the reissue of their debut album, #1 Record, the sound quality has been greatly enhanced to the point where it has a very modern feel. The liner notes are again are by Mike Mills of R.E.M. which provides a hint of Big Star’s lasting influence on American music.

Radio City continued the band’s development of the power pop sound as it pushed it in some new directions. It may not have the consistency and cohesion of their first release, but it remains an excellent album four plus decades after its release.

1973 was a good year for Elton John. January found him releasing Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player. It sold millions of copies as it and its lead single, “Crocodile Rock,” both reached Number One on their respective American charts. It established him as a formidable creative and commercial presence.

Ten months later he returned with his grand opus.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road would ultimately become one of the best-selling studio albums in music history, confirming Elton John’s status as one of pop music’s leading superstars.

Elton John has issued close to forty albums but this may be his most famous. It was originally released as a double album and is a rare effort where the quality of music actually warrants two discs. As such it is a sprawling affair that ranges from tender, simple ballads to all-out rock ‘n’ roll. Many of its songs still receive radio play today and are among the most famous in pop history.

The album is fueled by three memorable songs that became successful singles. “Bennie and The Jets” marked his second release to top the singles charts. Its staccato rhythm and almost jazz-type vocal help it endure as one of his his signature songs. The title track is a grand ballad and seventies music at its best. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” just rocks from beginning to end. I saw Elton John perform this song live a number of years ago and it was the highlight of the concert.

“Candle In The Wind” received a lot of airplay at the time of the album’s release. This gentle and sensitive ballad was a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, yet in 1997 it was re-worked as a tribute to Princess Diana and became one the biggest-selling worldwide singles in history.

The album contains a number of other strong tracks as well. “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” is bluesy, mellow, and brilliant soft rock. “Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock ‘n’ Roll)” is a nostalgic trip back to the days of sock hops. The opening track, “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” checks in at over eleven minutes and is one of the longer recordings of his career. The instrumental introduction segues into a song about the end of an affair. The song’s length allows him to stretch and experiment as the music ebbs and flows. Finally, “Roy Rogers” is a cinematic tribute to old television heroes and movies.

Elton John’s career and music flow through this album. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road remains one of the classic releases in pop history and is still more than worth the price of admission.

1973 was a good year for Elton John. January found him releasing Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player. It sold millions of copies as it and its lead single, “Crocodile Rock,” both reached Number One on their respective American charts. It established him as a formidable creative and commercial presence.

Ten months later he returned with his grand opus.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road would ultimately become one of the best-selling studio albums in music history, confirming Elton John’s status as one of pop music’s leading superstars.

Elton John has issued close to forty albums but this may be his most famous. It was originally released as a double album and is a rare effort where the quality of music actually warrants two discs. As such it is a sprawling affair that ranges from tender, simple ballads to all-out rock ‘n’ roll. Many of its songs still receive radio play today and are among the most famous in pop history.

The album is fueled by three memorable songs that became successful singles. “Bennie and The Jets” marked his second release to top the singles charts. Its staccato rhythm and almost jazz-type vocal help it endure as one of his his signature songs. The title track is a grand ballad and seventies music at its best. “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” just rocks from beginning to end. I saw Elton John perform this song live a number of years ago and it was the highlight of the concert.

“Candle In The Wind” received a lot of airplay at the time of the album’s release. This gentle and sensitive ballad was a tribute to Marilyn Monroe, yet in 1997 it was re-worked as a tribute to Princess Diana and became one the biggest-selling worldwide singles in history.

The album contains a number of other strong tracks as well. “I’ve Seen That Movie Too” is bluesy, mellow, and brilliant soft rock. “Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock ‘n’ Roll)” is a nostalgic trip back to the days of sock hops. The opening track, “Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding” checks in at over eleven minutes and is one of the longer recordings of his career. The instrumental introduction segues into a song about the end of an affair. The song’s length allows him to stretch and experiment as the music ebbs and flows. Finally, “Roy Rogers” is a cinematic tribute to old television heroes and movies.

Elton John’s career and music flow through this album. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road remains one of the classic releases in pop history and is still more than worth the price of admission.

If ever a band deserved commercial success, it was Big Star. Instead they were regulated to existing as the darlings of critics and recognized for being highly influential as one of the originators of the power pop sound.

Alex Chilton of Box Tops fame (guitar and vocals), Chris Bell (guitar and vocals), Andy Hummer (bass and vocals) and Jody Stephens (drums) formed Big Star during the early 1970’s. They released their first album #1 Record in 1972. The release was listed among Rolling Stone Magazine’s Greatest 500 Albums Of All Time and has now been reissued.

#1 Record was the brain child of Chilton and Bell. In the recording studio, Chilton would use a one take approach for the guitar and vocal tracks. He would then hand them over to Bell who would add the textures, polish them with overdubs, and then put together the harmonies. It all added up to an album that would influence power pop bands and their descendants for the next three decades.

“Thirteen” is just about the perfect pop song and Rolling Stone ranked it among the 500 Greatest Songs Of All Time. The acoustic ballad is different from alot of their up-tempo material but its delicate nature makes it a stand-out.

“In The Street” has a slower tempo than the version that appeared as the theme song of That 70’s Show. The signature guitars, the tight harmonies, and the smooth delivery combine to give it layers of textures. “My Life is Right” and “Don’t Lie To Me” fuse pop and rock, while “Watch The Sunrise” is a return to a simpler approach.

I have heard this album on CD and vinyl in the past and the sound quality here is a huge upgrade. Each instrument is distinct and the vocal harmonies leap out of the speakers. You can even year the guitarist’s hands move over the instrument on the acoustic numbers. In addition the new liner notes are by Mike Mills of R.E.M.

Bell quickly became disenchanted with the album’s lack of success and left the band. He died in a car crash in 1978 at the age of 27. Chilton remained the center of Big Star until his death in 2010. Their brief time together resulted in one of the brilliant, if underappreciated albums of its era.

Sometimes it’s not who you know but what genes you share. And so it is with Devon Allman who is connected to a father named Gregg and an uncle named Duane. He may not have grown up with his father or met his uncle but he certainly inherited the music genes that run in the family.

Now in the third decade of his career, he has to be one of the busier musicians working today. He continues to front Honeytribe, the band he founded, as well as touring and recording with the super group The Royal Southern Brotherhood. In addition to his band affiliations, he has now about to release his second solo album titled Ragged & Dirty.

For the first time in his career, Devon left his southern comfort zone behind. He traveled to Chicago and not only used musicians from that city but had Grammy winning producer and songwriter Tom Hambridge on board as well. Hambridge was a wise choice as the production is impeccable and he co-wrote four of the 12 tracks.

Devon’s music and original compositions have always been rooted in the rock and blues that have been associated with The Allman name. “Leave The City” is a stripped down affair featuring only Hambridge’s drumming supporting his guitar and bluesy lead vocal. The nine minute instrumental “Midnight Lake Michigan” proves that he can hold his own on an extended track with an improvisational feel as his guitar thunders and wails. Many times it is a slow blues piece that defines an album and so it is with the slow-building “Back To You.”

The title track is a Luther Allison composition, which is now taken in a funky direction due to a thumping bass line by Felton Crews. Hambridge’s “Leavin’” finds him making each note crystal clear in a precise performance. It is interesting to hear him and additional vocalist Wendy Moten transform the Spinner’s “I’ll Be Around” from soul to blues.

Devon Allman has established an identity firmly rooted within a rock and blues fusion sound. Ragged & Dirty is his latest stop along a career path that was set in place at birth.

Otis Clay began his career back in the 1950’s singing in such gospel groups as The Voices of Hope, The Christian Travelers, and The Songbirds. In the early 1960’s he embarked upon a solo career, which culminated with his 2013 induction into the Blues Music Hall Of Fame.

John Rawls has released 16 albums during his career, which have produced 12 Blues Music Awards nominations.

While they have both been involved in the music business for decades, their paths did not cross until about ten years ago. Last year Clay guested on Rawls’ album, Remembering O.V. Now they have joined together to create the album Soul Brothers, which will be released next month.

Soul Brothers is a combination of original compositions and cover tunes. They take Dave Mason’s “Only You And I Know” in a funky blues direction. Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted” is a bit rawer than the original. Tyrone Davis’ “Turn Back The Hands Of Time” emerges as a bluesy track.

The Johnny Rawls penned “Hallelujah Lord” is a return to the gospel music of yesterday when blues and gospel music were first cousins. Original songs such as “Road Dog,” “Living On Borrowed Time,” and “Voodoo Queen” serve both vocalists well as they bring their years of experience to the music. The brass section gives the music an energetic and modern feeling.

Otis Clay and Johnny Rawls are two experienced blues masters who have combined their talent to produce an excellent album that should please any aficionado of the blues.

William McKinley Hutchison, 1944-2004, better known as Willie Hutch was an artist who enjoyed a forty year career, yet only achieved moderate commercial success despite enjoying prosperity as a songwriter (“I’ll Be There”) by The Jackson 5), releasing seven albums for the Motown label where he also served as a staff writer, and scoring a number of films including Foxy Brown.

Real Gone Music has just reissued his two albums recorded for the Whitfield label 1978-1979. Midnight Dancer was the second and stronger of the two releases as it found him settling in to a sustained groove. While the album received little notice at the time of its release, it contained some of the better music of his career.

The disco era was on the wane and his music caught the tail end of that era but also looked ahead to the slick and funky soul of the 1980’s.

The album is bookended by two laid back disco tracks. “Disco Thang” and “Down Here On Disco Street” both make use of strings and brass. They are smooth, extended cuts that flow along, propelled by his relaxed and unhurried vocal style.

The title track clocks in at over eight minutes and looks ahead to the 1980’s. There is a two minute instrumental introduction with a synthesizer, strings, and guitar all vying for attention. It all adds up to a dance track that would have been in vogue in the post-disco era.

Tracks such as “Kelly Green,” “Never Let You Be Without Love,” and “Deep In Your Love” have a slower tempo. “Kelly Green” is a nostalgic ballad, while the mid-tempo “Deep In Your Love” is a gentle love song.

Midnight Dancer is a solid album, which is emblematic of Willie Hutch’s career. He could produce good albums that were listenable but were not cutting edge. One plus to his music is it is not stuck in its era but has a very modern feel to it. His music remains interesting if limited.

While never as popular in the United States as Canada, Ray Griff did place 23 singles on the Billboard Country Charts although he never reached the top ten. In Canada he consistently reached the top ten including his number one country hit “If I Let Her Come In.” Real Gone Music has now gathered his most successful singles under the title The Entertainer – Greatest U.S. & Canadian Hits.

The 24 tracks are presented in chronological order 1967-1986, and encompass his work for six different labels. The songs are not modern country but rests firmly in what today can be labeled as a classic country sound. The material takes you back to the Hank Snow and Ray Price era when country music was basic and told a story without the rock and roll trappings of today.

It was with the Capital label during the mid-1970’s that he achieved his greatest commercial success as a recording artist. “If I Let Her Come In” is a pure country cheatin’ ballad with a unique falsetto vocal. “You Ring My Bell” contained a little funk in its country approach.

Griff just rolls through the ballads and mid-tempo material. His delivery is smooth and his vocal style mellow, all of which makes one wonder why he was not a bigger star.

As with all of the Real Gone reissues, the sound quality is impeccable and the accompanying booklet gives a fine overview of his career and music. It would have been nice to have some of his early rockabilly material included but that would not have fit the “hits” theme of the release.

Ray Griff is an artist whose music has been out of print for several decades. While his sound may not resonate with modern day country aficionados, it is a nice trip back in time to when country music had a twang and sincerity that is missing today. An excellent compilation album by a many times forgotten artist.

Bobby Quick, formally the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative rock band Zero Parade, has just issued a six-song EP (or short album if you will), under the title Bobby Quick And The Speeds Of Sound.

His sound is a little more melodic than that of his former band but it still has a raw, down to earth nature to it.

“Knock Knocker” is is emblematic of his sound. Jangly guitar, ominous melody, rough vocal, and an energetic presentation all add up to a creative and excellent track. If you are so inclined, check out the video to the song. Joey Molland of Badfinger fame joins in on “Different Kind of House,” which moves the sound in a pop direction.

The six tracks are well-crafted modern day alternative rock with a melodic bent. They provide a taste of his vision and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Mr. Quick.

So what would you do if you received a cash award for a childhood injury? If you are Thomas Walsh, you would build a recording studio in a shed in his parents yard. And so Pugwash was born.

Pugwash has been highly popular and commercially successful in their home country of Ireland and the U.K. Their albums have not been released in the United States and so the 17 track compilation album, A Rose In The Garden Of Weeds: A Preamble Through The History Of Pugwash, is welcome as it is an excellent introduction their music.

Walsh is the main cog in the Pugwash sound as he is the one constant member in an ever-changing band. He is a vocalist, songwriter, and a multi-instrumentalist whose vision creates the music. His voice is very similar to that of ELO’s Jeff Lynne and the overall sound falls in the power pop and sometimes psychedelic pop category.

From the opening jangle of Walsh’s 12-string on “Take Me Away,” the album is awash in energetic and joyous music. The keyboard driven “Keep Movin’ On” gives way to the harmonies of “It’s Nice To Be Nice.” His gentle stories and reflections are brought to life by the textures he creates.

Pugwash has been a well-kept secret in the United States. A Rose In The Garden Of Weeds will rectify that situation as it gives some visibility to a band that has learned to craft its music well.